Survey of Jewish university students finds widespread antisemitism on campuses

University of Ottawa professor Cary Kogan of the Network of Engaged Canadian Academics (NECA) speaks at a news conference on a national study documenting antisemitism at Canadian universities and colleges in Ottawa on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

OTTAWA — The vast majority of Jewish students who responded to a government-commissioned survey late last year said they had experienced or witnessed antisemitism on campus.

Before the Carney government terminated the role of special envoy on antisemitism, the last person to hold that office commissioned a survey of 900 Jewish university students about their experiences on campus.

More than two-thirds of respondents said their university does not take antisemitism seriously and that it’s not a safe place for Jewish students.

A fifth of respondents reported physical violence directed at Jews on campus.

The Association for Canadian Studies oversaw the survey, which was conducted last November and December after respondents were recruited through Jewish university groups.

A group of mostly Jewish academics is calling on Ottawa to get universities to do a better job of enforcing existing codes of conduct and recording data on incidents of discrimination.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 5, 2026

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press